Travel Time Is "Working Time" For Mobile Workers

For the majority of workers, their working day does not start until they reach their regular place of work. However, the European Court of Justice ("ECJ") has ruled that time spent travelling to and from home, for workers with no fixed or habitual place of work, should constitute "working time" for the purposes of the Working Time Directive ("WTD").

This decision has implications for employers with mobile work forces such as care workers, sales representatives and engineers. It may also be of relevance to employers looking to adopt a more remote style of working.  

What did the ECJ decide?

The ECJ's decision derives from the case of Federacion de Servicios Privados del sindicato Comisiones Obreras v Tyco Integrated Security SL and another, which involved a Spanish company who employed technicians to install and maintain security systems. The technicians travelled from their homes straight to their first customers each day and went home after their